Lift Upgrading Programme
Lift Upgrading Programme (usually abbreviated as LUP) is a program run by the Housing and Development Board (HDB) in Singapore. It's a project which upgrades and improves elevators at HDB flats across Singapore which most of the flats were built before the year 1990. Lift Upgrading Programme can also be a part of Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) for optional choices in the 1990s. Overview Before 1990, most of the HDB flats in Singapore were built with elevators that only serve some floors to meet privacy and to reduce construction costs. Most elevators from the 1960s to 1980s were installed by Fujitec, Otis, Fiam, and even Schindler (only in some SIT flats in late 1950s). The goal of LUP is to upgrades, improves and modernizes the existing old elevators so that they can serve all floors as possible. Elevators upgraded and modernized/refurbished under the LUP program have received the following specifications: *New cab design. *Fixtures - buttons and LED floor indicators (almost provided by Dewhurst). *Center opening landing doors with see-through windows. *Automated voice guidance. *Auxilliary panel for wheelchairs installed on side car wall. Additionally, newer flats (typically 30 to 40 floors high) with elevators installed under the LUP program also have the same specifications with those refurbished elevators in older flats. Newer flats that are 30 to 40 floors high are high speed elevators (mostly installed by Fujitec or Mitsubishi). Telemonitoring System (TMS) The Telemonitoring System (TMS) is a system which monitors elevators in high-rise public housing, which was started out the HDB in 1984. As of August 2007, there are more than 17,500 elevators monitored by the system. TMS uses SCADA-based technology to monitor the status of the elevators in real-time from a centralized master station for events such as breakdown and trapped passengers. The elevator maintenance companies are automatically notified of any problem and in most cases, repairs are carried out even before a complaint is received. The introduction of TMS has resulted in better elevator performance as historical data allowed the Town Councils, who are maintaining the HDB estates, to pinpoint problem areas and improve the method of maintenance. Besides detecting problems with the elevators, TMS can also be used to carry out remote testing of elevators and other emergency standby equipment. Timeline of Lift Upgrading Programme elevator specifications 1950s to 1960s From the late 1950s to mid-1960s, there have been few residential flats built by the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT) in Singapore, such as in Old Airport Road and Stirling Road areas. Most of these flats are seven floors high, and some of them equipped with one elevator installed on the center core of the building. Elevators at SIT flats were installed by Schindler. These elevators are relatively simple, with single-piece sliding door, black buttons, and wooden walls inside the cab. These elevators typically installed on the center core of the building and only serve three floors in a seven storey flats (usually only serves level 1, 3 and 6). 1970s to 1980s Most elevators during in the 1970s to early 1980s were installed by Fujitec, Fiam, and Marryat & Scott. These elevators were relatively basic and have single-piece landing doors. Because of privacy and cost-reduction reason, most elevators only serve some floors. Elevators in this era typically have a rated capacity of 8 persons. In the mid-1980s, some elevators in higher flats began to serve all floors, while some others only serve odd or even floors. These elevators were mostly installed by Fujitec and have newer round and white plastic buttons and digital floor indicators. Cab designs were simple and are usually comes in a shade of blue, green, brown, and sometimes grey. Schindler only installed elevators in fewer commercial HDB blocks with their standard configuration and fixtures. Schindler stopped install elevators in HDB flats in the late 1980s. 1990s Beginning in the 1990s, most elevators have octagonal-shaped cab, LED floor indicators, Dewhurst US90-15 buttons, automated voices, and door closing beeps. Automated voices and door closing chimes vary from other elevator brands. Also, other elevators brands was contracted by the HDB to install elevators, such as GoldStar, Dong Yang, LG, EM Services, and Otis. Also, some older elevators in older flats that do not stops at all floors were refurbished under the Main Upgrading Programme (MUP) scheme, usually done by EM Services and Otis. These refurbished MUP elevators were updated with new cab design, Dewhurst fixtures, voiceovers, and door closing beeps. Elevator doors were also equipped with two sets of partial glass windows on the doors. This is to prevent vandalism, urinating, or anti-social acts inside the elevators. In the late 1990s, Thyssen was contracted by the HDB to install elevators in some flats located in Bedok. Also, Otis stopped supplying nor refurbishing elevators in the late 1980s for some reason. 2000s to present Specifications in newer elevators in the early 2000s remain unchanged, only with some updated fixtures. Newer elevator manufacturers were contracted by the HDB, such as Sigma, IFE, and ULift. Fujitec remain one of the largest supplier in the HDB, although newer brands such as IFE, EM Services, and ULift also competiting on Fujitec. In 2003, Dong Yang stopped supplying elevators as the company was sold out to ThyssenKrupp. In the late 2000s, scenic elevators were installed in several flats by IFE, EM Services, and ULift as part of an experimental project. The first scenic elevator installed in the HDB was installed in Blk. 246/247 Jurong West by IFE, later, IFE installed another four scenic elevators in Tekka Centre HDB flats in Little India. EM Services did the same by installing several scenic elevators in flats along Owen Road (in Farrer Park). These scenic elevators, however, are facing maintenance problems due to dangerous reason of the hoistway without having any support in the shaft and could be a risk of elevator engineering falling down from the top car while maintaining the elevators. In some smaller flats, home elevators are also found. These elevators were installed by BNF, but doesn't use Dewhurst fixtures. List of elevator companies contracted in the LUP program These are the elevator companies that was contracted by HDB in the LUP program. Criticisms Upgrade vote and costs between Singaporean and Permanent Residents Many residents find this very unfair as only Singaporean residents gets to vote whether they want the upgrade or not, while Permanent Residents (PRs) are not eligible to vote. Futhermore, PRs are to pay $10,800 for the upgrade if the majority agrees to the upgrade, while Singaporeans only needs to pay $540, the rest will be subsidised by the government and town council. Blocked view Many residents have complained that their home unit windows were blocked by the elevator's external shaft structure during upgrading programs. Trivia *The majority of elevators in HDB flats from the early 1970s to present are Fujitec. *Most elevator's car shape are octagonal. Some newly modernized elevators have normal square car shape instead of octagonal. *The average rated capacity of elevators in HDB flats are 8 to 20 persons. *Most fixtures used are the Dewhurst push buttons series US90-15 and US91-15, and have been used since in the early 1990s. *In the area of Boon Lay, the majority of old elevators were mostly Otis, which have existed since in the 1960s. *Schindler was once the supplier of elevators for the SIT flats during in the late 1950s. *Fiam also supplies elevators in the 1970s. The most notable installations are located in Blk. 7 Taman Jurong and Blk. 22 Holland Village.Have been phased out in 2011. *Marryat & Scott was once a supplier of elevators in the 1970s, mostly found in the estates of Teban Gardens, Holland Village, and Jalan Besar. *Pinnacle@Duxton, a 51-storey HDB blocks uses Fujitec elevators installed in 2009. *Although already supplying elevators since in the 1960s, Express Lift Company were mostly installed from 1994 to 1995. These elevators normally found in Toa Payoh, Boon Lay/Jurong West, Tampines, Pasir Ris, and Woodlands. Gallery Blk. 1 Beach Road - OTIS Elevator (Lift A).jpg|A typical elevator installed under the LUP/MUP program in Blk. 1 Beach Road HDB. This was installed by Otis in the 1990s. Mqdefault-1-.jpg|Fujitec Elevator that replaced old elevators. Now is going to be upgrade for third time as they were selected as a part of LUP. Click the photo to watch a video.|link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3oJAT9cy-g Picture 009.jpg|The new Lift Upgrading Program logo. Express Lift HDB.jpg|A 1990s Express Lift elevator with standard LUP configuration. This was installed in Blk. 81A Toa Payoh HDB, in 1995. Mitsubishi LUP Toa Payoh.png|A typical Mitsubishi elevator installed under LUP scheme. This is located in Toa Payoh HDB (installed in 2009). 1276523_569815113071993_434406538_o.jpg|Another typical Lift Upgrading Programme elevator. Notes See also *Elevator Modernization *Lift Modernization Programme (A lift modernization program for the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) public housing estates). External links *Lift Upgrading Programme overview *Modern HDB Elevators in Singapore - video playlist of HDB elevators (from mailerdiablo in YouTube). *On Death-Row: Elevators in Singapore - video playlist of some old HDB elevators (from mailerdiablo in YouTube). Category:Elevator Modernization